Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1887-11-24

They Want Twenty Millions Worth OF
Chicago at S135 Per Acre.

A claim of gigantic proportions was
made In the United States Circuit Court re-
Gently by Catherine L. Beaubien, the wild.
ow of the widow of the late Jean Baptiste
Beaubien, one Of Chicago's earliest settlers,
and her eleven children. They lay claim
to the equitable ownership of almost untold
millions of dollars worth Of property in
the very heart of Chicago. and sue to recoy-
er possession of the same It's boundaries
are Madison on the south. State street on
the west the Chicago river ON the north and
Lake Michigan on the east. This districe In
nearly all comprised of lands valued at 81
900 per front foot and upward, and nearly
all OF it is covered with magnificent busi-
ness blocks, the Improvements themselves
every wholesale grocery house In the city,
many of the wholesale hardware, dry goods
and boot and shoe houses, many Of the lead
ing retail dry goods stores, besides countless
other establishments, of like character, are
located in this district, and the wealth rep
resented in IL, including lands, buildings,
stocks Of goods, etc, would probably not
fall far short of $50, ,000, 900, and might ex-
ceed that amount.
The complainants represent that when
Fort Dearborn was erected, i'm 1903 or 1904
its southern boundary was marked by q
rail fence, running southeast and northeast
across a neck of land formed by the bend of
the Chicago river. The land just outside
this enclosure was occupied until 1912 by a
Canadian, who sold it TO Jean Baptiste
Beaubien, who at once took possession of
the property. A man named John Dean
built honse in 1916 on the same fractional
quarter-s.ction, and Beanbien bought his
claim, living in the Dean house until 1s4O,
when the United States:G :Government elected
him from its possession. Acts were passed
by Congress in 1913 and 1916, providing
that actual settlers on government
lands, not reserved or divided into lots.
should be given the preference in the
sales of such lands. Under these acts it is
therefore claimed that Jean Baptiste Beau
bien acquired original title to the property
which is now worth so many millions. The
government, it is claimed, had, only a
naked legal title to the property, the reason
for Beaubiens ejectment being his refusal
or failure to comply with the land laws In
fact, the government did in 1924 specifically
withdraw the land in question by declaring
it reserved for military purposes. In 1881
Beanbien made application TO buy it and
was refused permission to do so. In 1885
he secured a land registrars certificate of
purchase of fractional section 10 at the price
of $125 an acre. He had prior to; that filed
notice of his preference under the act of
Congress of 1876 The land in question was
subdivided in 1889 by the Federal Govern
ment and was sold for upwards of S1OO, 900.
Poor Beaubien's claim was ignored and
he was again rejected.
In March, 1854, Congress passed an act
extinguishing Beaubien's title TO the lands
giving him title to some other property in
settlement OF his claim. He died in 1864.
1t is now claimed by his heirs that Congress
gave Beaubien the lots mentioned ON &C
count of his poverty and not in settlement
of his claim to the property from which he
had been elected. The Beaubien's now
propose to take the land, the Court willing
at the price:of 125 per acre, and when they
get it they will be among the wealthiest
| families of the world.